Shrewsbury urged to strike out

Sam Ricketts’ side spent much of last season in a 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 system, although the boss tweaked his approach to a 4-2-3-1 just before the Covid-19 shutdown.

And former midfielder Wilding feels that a centre-forward pairing could prove the key to unlocking more firepower in blue and amber next season.

Town were low scorers last season, 31 goals in 34 league games just edging basement boys Bolton in the scoring stakes.

Wilding, who watched his former side on a number of occasions in a scouting role, said: “I see in the Championship with a lot of sides that it makes a hell of a difference when you’ve got two up front.

“I’d try to work a system out to get two strikers in.

“I think a lot of people have got into this trap of saying they want to play 4-2-3-1, I look at it and like a 4-3-1-2. There’s still two good banks, if the one behind the two puts his work rate in.

“If Cummings or Udoh play on their own it’s a big ask. I’d definitely try to get the two in somehow.”

As it stands Jason Cummings and Daniel Udoh are the only centre-forward in Ricketts’ ranks, with the boss expected to add more firepower this summer given the departure of loanee Callum Lang and sale of Fejiri Okenabirhie in January.

Wilding, who played in a range of positions in blue and amber between 1997 and 2003, added: “If you’re going down there, you can enjoy defensive displays for so long but ultimately you don’t go down to see a grafting 1-0 with few chances or goals.

“You want to see offensive football. There’s a little bit of creativity and flair in there.

“We’ll see how the players adapt to a system. I think it’s really important, without getting told what to do by players, to get them on board believing in what they are playing. If they are not keen on a system then you’ve got your work cut out then.”

Ricketts and his players were expected to return to training at Sundorne today where the club’s six week pre-season will begin ahead of the League One kick off on September 12.